Why worry?
by A.S. Mitchell
Summary: Krillin, in his own weird way, muses about life and growing old, and comes to the conclusion that it really isn't as bad as everyone seems to think.


_*****Krillin is and always has been one of my favorite characters. I really don't like what they did to him as the show progressed. _

_There is no excuse for this._

* * *

As Krillin watches the young Goku-lookalike duke it out with a boy twice his size, he feels his muscles contract and tighten with each of Goten's attacks. He knows these moves more intimately than 'by heart' can even begin to explain. It never ceases to amaze him how much Goten looks like that goofball best friend of his.

He sighs sadly. "If only I were young again…"

_Young again? _His mental self chimes in. _Are you kidding me? You are still young. Old-Earth-young, but its better than Old-Earth-old, right? There is a difference, you know!_

He finds himself smirking. He's still that little boy inside hauling around a giant empty turtle shell, with sharp wit and a mouth that still occasionally gets him into trouble.

Krillin shuts his eyes for a moment, letting the moment pass.

Continuing to age while a handful of his closest friends stay the same is enough to stir up anyone's insides. He's seen physical change in them, watched them grow and mature, but it seems to him he's only one of a few to actually age. Two, if you take Bulma out of the picture. He's surprised she hasn't had any surgery- though she does rely heavily on cosmetics. He cringes, wondering what Vegeta must wake up to every morning.

_No thanks._

She's still aging nicely, he thinks. ChiChi, too.

_Bah… You're only as old as you feel, right?_

_Good point._

When he thinks of growing old, giving away his daughter, watching Gohan give his daughter away, he thinks he should be sad, or at least have mixed emotions, but really, he doesn't. It doesn't bother him much. Maybe that isn't normal.

_But then again, when have you ever been normal?_

Someday, he'll be a little old man, sitting in a chair, waiting for a visit from someone from the past.

_Well when you put it like that, it does sound pretty bad. _He sinks into his seat, frowning worriedly. _Although…hey, what are you talking about? This isn't something to be sad over. You've experienced too much sadness as it is, so knock it off. There's no reason to be glum. You know what's waiting for you in the hereafter, you've seen it. And even if you are growing old, you're still alive, aren't you? You've been dead and back plenty of times before; that's something very few people ever get to experience, so make the most of what time you have left._

_You're right._

_So why are you still feeling so cruddy about it? Just look around you. You have a beautiful wife and a wonderful family. Friends who you would die for, and who would do the same for you. You've gone to other planets, seen the afterworld, and helped save the Earth! You're a pretty cool guy._

_So what if you're going gray- you spent the first part of your life bald!_

Grinning like an idiot, he looks up to the sky thoughtfully.

_So you miss fighting, but it's sort of nice not to have to worry about dying every time you set foot outside, right? _

_ Yeah, you know, it is. _

_You're a respectable adult. _His eyebrows wiggle playfully. _That's right. A respectable. Adult. Not to mention, you can still probably kick half the people's butts in this crowd. _He glances around, feeling his pride inflate_. You were one of the strongest humans on earth. A human! Fighting alongside all kinds of aliens. Maybe you goofed up here and there but you pulled your weight._

"Yeah," he murmurs, his fists balled up in excitement. He jumps to his feet, fists raised in the air. "Yeah! That's right!"

And he almost jumps over the barrier separating the fighters from the fans, until he realizes where he is again, and he bashfully sinks back into his seat, his face the color of a beet. 18 raises an eyebrow at him. He shrugs helplessly, chuckling.

That could have ended badly.

And anyway, now that he's taken another look, that kid looks pretty mean for a ten year old.


End file.
